PRETORIA, South Africa

President Paul Kagame said Sunday his country prays no person in the world should ever endure the same tribulations Rwanda faced 25 years ago, when more than 800,000 people were slaughtered in genocide.

“Never accept it. Confront the apostles of division and hatred who masquerade as saviours and democrats,” Kagame said in a speech at the Kigali Genocide Memorial where more than 250,000 victims are said to be buried.

An estimated 800,000 minority Tutsis and some Hutus were killed during 100 days of bloodshed orchestrated by extremist Hutus in 1994.

The assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu triggered the genocide on April 7, 1994.

Hutu extremists who had allegedly harbored hatred for Tutsis accused them of shooting Habyarimana’s plane as it came in to land at the Kigali International Airport, triggering their mass slaughter.

Kagame, who led the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) which ended the genocide, thanked his fellow countrymen who joined hands to recreate their country after the genocide.

“In 1994, there was no hope, only darkness. Today, light radiates from this place,” he said, after lighting the memorial flame which will burn for 100 days as the country mourns.

Kagame said despite the hurtful past, Rwanda has become a family once again with citizens uniting.

Several foreign leaders joined Kagame at the genocide commemoration. They included, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Belgium Prime Minister Charles Michel and Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou.

Others are Congo President Brazzaville Denis Sassou N'gueso and Djibouti President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh.